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What to do with drawn frames?

Do you guys keep your drawn out frames that aren't being used for next year, or do you use new foundation each year like fat bee man recommends? I don't like all the warning labels on the PDB, don't really like the idea of using it on supers that my kids will be eating from. But it seems like a big waste to scrape all that wax from drawn foundation.

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

So FatBeeman starts from scratch each year? Bees have to rebuild all their comb? That must make for a major hit on his honey yield. I probably have comn that is 20 years old and still being used every year. Guess I'm a deadman.....

“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.” - The Quran

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

I can tell ya what not to do, do not just bring in the house, I had one hive fail, took the frames of drawn comb out and brought everything in the house, and after a few days, well maybe a week or better, I had myself quite a few Wax Moth larvae enjoying themselves, those nasty thangs, I recommend taking the frames of comb freeze em for a bit and store them. Probably in the shed, in the hive body an offset them as you stack em. Unless you like watching those nasty maggot looking things eat away your frames and everything else that come in contact with. shewwww

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

On a small scale I would recommend freezing them for 48 hours then taking them out and turning them on their side in the sun... not close together so the breeze can blow through them... this works... well... pretty good.

“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.” - The Quran

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

Originally Posted by hpm08161947

Stuff will kill you.... that's why you have to go to school to get licensed to use it.... leaves 0 residues. Not for everybody..... just us with major pest problems.

Some folks died a few years back in our area. They had sprinkled the pellets around the outside of their house. Nasty stuff for sure. I am considering a semi reefer to freeze comb. Anyone had any experience with those?

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

Originally Posted by jim lyon

Some folks died a few years back in our area. They had sprinkled the pellets around the outside of their house. Nasty stuff for sure. I am considering a semi reefer to freeze comb. Anyone had any experience with those?

Actually I am also considering a semi reefer, not for the comb, but for the freezing of "grape must" - another sideline of mine - So I would also be interested in hearing from someone with experience with one.

“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.” - The Quran

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

If you only have a few hives, place five spaced frames in each super,(or deep brood chamber) and stand super on the end. Stack the supers. Only down side with this method is that you need more supers because you are only putting 5 frames in each one. Let the bees clean the supers before stacking, or in my case, I just let the bees come into the shed and continue cleaning as they wish.

As long as there is adequate light between frames, wax months do not bother them. If you don't have that many empty supers, any way you can space them in the light will work. One option is to build a small rack to hold frames in the light.

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

besides bees i am a refer mechanic,a refer is designed to maintain cargo temperature, hot or cold. it takes a lot longer to solidly freeze a load than you would think. you need to load on pallets to allow air circulation. a canvas air tunnel on the trailer roof helps. in warm weather a full load in cardbooard boxes, food in plastic cups, can take up to a week to freeze solid. plan on something like a gallon an hour of diesel if running wide open continous run. a few pallets of empty frames in supers would be real frozen in a day or so thes time of year in the northern US.

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

Originally Posted by mathesonequip

besides bees i am a refer mechanic,a refer is designed to maintain cargo temperature, hot or cold. it takes a lot longer to solidly freeze a load than you would think. you need to load on pallets to allow air circulation. a canvas air tunnel on the trailer roof helps. in warm weather a full load in cardbooard boxes, food in plastic cups, can take up to a week to freeze solid. plan on something like a gallon an hour of diesel if running wide open continous run. a few pallets of empty frames in supers would be real frozen in a day or so thes time of year in the northern US.

Wow! We found a reefer mechanic. This forum is great. Tell us what one should be looking for in buying a used piece of equipment like this.

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

I now have all my drawn frames in supers and hive bodies stacked and separated with bed slats (I use whatever I have on hand ) and a few small boards like 2x3's. Put another couple spacers on top of the top box and put the lid on. Fresh air and cold temps keep everything nice and dandy, dry and moth-free.

Re: What to do with drawn frames?

Originally Posted by mathesonequip

besides bees i am a refer mechanic,a refer is designed to maintain cargo temperature, hot or cold. it takes a lot longer to solidly freeze a load than you would think. you need to load on pallets to allow air circulation. US.

So to freeze a semi load of comb it would cost from a fuel standpoint of about $700-$1000. Probably doable for comb, but not to good a number for frozen must unless it could be moved quickly....

“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.” - The Quran